“Thanks for saying that. It means a lot.” Jackson stepped onto the porch, his keys dangling from his long fingers. “You comin’ in?”
She searched his gorgeous face. “Do you want me to?”
“Always.”
“Then yes, but I can only stay for a little bit. I have to be up early tomorrow.”
They walked into the dark house, but rather than switch on any lights, Jackson led her down the shadowy corridor toward his bedroom.
“I keep meaning to ask you…” He paused, looking slightly embarrassed. “What’s the deal with your father? You never talk about him.”
Sadness jammed in her throat. “That’s because I never knew him. He took off when I was four months old.”
A groove cut into Jackson’s forehead. “Wait, does that mean you and Danny have different fathers?”
“No, we were sired by the same asshole. I know, the ten-year age difference is confusing.” She dropped her purse on the floor and plopped down on the edge of the bed. “My dad ran off with another woman after I was born. He was a truck driver, and I guess he was fucking around a lot whenever he was on the road. Mom, of course, was a wreck. Her husband had cheated on her, she was raising a baby by herself, but instead of learning to stand on her own two feet, she immediately went on the hunt for a new man. From the ages of one to ten, I had five different stepfathers.”
Jackson joined her on the bed. “And then your father came back?” he guessed.
She nodded. “He waltzed into our lives completely out of the blue. Mom was overjoyed. She hopped right back into bed with him, cheating on her latest husband, but of course, her happiness didn’t last.” Bitterness burned Mia’s throat. “My father didn’t say a single word to me in the four days he stayed with us. He just slept with my mom, stole some cash and ran off again.”
“Ah, sugar, I’m sorry.” Sympathy hung from Jackson’s voice.
“Nothing to be sorry about. The man was a total loser—I’m lucky he’s not part of my life.” She shrugged. “But yeah, Mom got pregnant during their four-day fuckfest, and nine months later, Danny was born.”
Mia scooted closer and kissed his cheek. “Okay, we’re done talking now. I still have some apologizing to do.”
“You already apologized,” he protested.
“Yeah, but only with words. Now it’s time to apologize with actions.”
His mouth curved impishly. “I like the way your mind works.”
“Thought you would. Now get on your back, sugar.”
He indulged her, stretching his long, glorious body on the mattress. When she reached for his wifebeater, he sat up so she could peel it off him, then sank down again and propped his muscular arms behind his head.
Her gaze ate up every square inch of his massive chest. Tight six-pack, sleek golden sinew, roped muscles—he radiated strength and masculinity, and yet when her fingertips grazed his warm male flesh, he quivered beneath her touch. Mia bent over and kissed him right between the pecs, then skimmed her tongue over one flat nipple.
She took his husky moan as the green light to continue. She explored the small brown disc with her tongue, nibbling on it with her teeth. Then she moved to his other nipple and played with that too, before kissing a path down his hard stomach, her tongue following the line of hair that arrowed into his waistband.
She cupped the bulge in his jeans, and pure feminine power surged through her when he moaned again and thrust into her palm. Normally he had all the control during their encounters, but tonight he’d handed over the reins, and it was so thrilling to have this big, strong man at her mercy.
She squeezed his package, hard, the way she knew he liked it, then undid his Levis and pulled them down his muscular legs. The jeans snagged on his black boots, so she quickly scurried to the bottom of the bed to rid him of them.
Once he was naked, his cock rose up in a plea for attention, harder than granite and oozing with precome. The shards of moonlight entering the room through the cracks in the curtains caught on the silver ball bearings adorning his tip, and the piercing only served as a reminder of how dangerously wicked this man was. On the surface he was the consummate gentleman, sweet, polite, generous. But in bed he was a threat to her sanity, a demanding, greedy lover who took what he wanted, when he wanted it.
She loved that dichotomy, the delicious knowledge that she knew something about Jackson Ramsey that most people didn’t.
“You gonna stare at me all night, or am I gettin’ some action?” he mocked.
“I don’t know… Maybe I’ll just make you lie here and watch you squirm for a bit.”
“Nah. You’re not that evil.” His tongue swept over his lips. “Besides, you’re dying to suck my dick.”
“Oh, am I?”
“Heck yeah. That’s why you can’t quit staring at it.”
She supposed she could’ve denied it, but what was the point? They both knew she wanted him in her mouth.
So she took him.
Jackson swore and gave an upward thrust that sent his erection all the way to the back of her throat. His potent masculine scent captured her senses, coated her tongue, and she desperately wanted to gulp him up. Suck him hard, make him come, and swallow every last drop.
But she didn’t.
She was having way too much fun teasing him. It was rare for the tables to be turned, which meant she had to take advantage of his powerless state and drive him absolutely nuts.
She moved her mouth over him, slowly, drawing out each stroke until he was mumbling incoherently, his fists clawing at the bedspread. When her hand found his balls and cupped the heavy sac, he tried to increase the pace, but she simply clamped her lips around his cockhead and gave it a soft bite of warning.
“Son of a bitch,” he ground out.
His groan of pleasure told her he’d enjoyed the sting of her teeth against his sensitive flesh, so she did it again, gently biting the crown of his dick, then soothing it with the rasp of her tongue.
“Jesus, Mia. You’re killing me here.”
She lifted her head and met his tortured brown eyes. “Payback,” she murmured. “For all the times you’ve done the same thing to me.”
Yet for all her brazen threats, she found that she couldn’t tease him for much longer. Pressure had built in her core, a dull ache that was impossible to ignore. After a few more languid licks, she sat up and ripped her clothes off so fast Jackson began to laugh.
“Somethin’ wrong?” he asked innocently.
She wiggled out of her panties and climbed up to straddle him with her thighs. “Shut up,” she grumbled. “This is your fault.”
“Aw, shucks. What did I do?”
“You cast a spell on me. Your naked body turns me on so much I don’t even have the patience to tease it.”
His seductive chuckle made her shiver. “Then what are you waiting for? Fuck me already.”
Still glaring at him, she rose up, then impaled herself on his rock-hard shaft.
“Fuck,” he muttered, his hands immediately landing on her waist. “We fit so well, sugar.”
She couldn’t argue with that. As her inner muscles stretched to accommodate his size, she was overcome with a sense of completion. That was the only way to describe it. Jackson completed her the way no other lover ever had.
Taking a breath, she started to move.
“Faster,” he ordered.
“You’re lying on your back while I ride you, and you’re still trying to boss me around?”
“Yes.” His eyes gleamed. “Now go faster.”
“No.”
She maintained a leisurely pace and ran her palms over his rigid abdomen. Each stroke caused her clit to brush over his pubic bone, until the sensitive nub swelled to the point of pain. The mounting pleasure made it difficult to go slow—she rode him harder now, watching as his gaze darkened with approval.
“That’s it, fuck me.” His raspy commands thickened the air. “Squeeze your pussy and bear down on my cock, Mia. Shit, yeah. Ju
st like that.”
His hands slid up her body to cup her breasts, and when he pinched her nipples, Mia literally saw stars. It felt so good. So damn good.
As the pressure continued to build, she could barely stay upright. Her knees wobbled, her thighs spasmed involuntarily, and eventually she collapsed on top of him, her breasts crushing his chest. He wrapped his arms around her and held her tight as she grinded against his cock. He stroked her back, squeezed her ass, and then, before she could blink, he rolled them over and took control. Plowing into her again and again, hips pistoning, until finally he let out a hoarse cry and came inside her.
Mia didn’t come, but she felt sated nevertheless, suddenly realizing that an orgasm wasn’t what she’d needed tonight. No, she’d needed to drown in Jackson’s endless well of strength, to bask in the soothing comfort and endless support he gave so freely.
He made her feel safe. Like as long as he was around, everything would be okay.
They lay there in a tangle of arms and legs for so long that her eyelids began to droop. Jackson’s even breathing and the gentle way he stroked her hair were liable to lull her to sleep, so she planted a kiss on his shoulder and sat up reluctantly.
“I have to go.”
He let out a drowsy groan. “Wish you could stay,” he mumbled.
“Me too. But I have to drive Danny to school tomorrow morning and then go to work.”
Without a shred of enthusiasm, she got dressed and located her purse, which had been kicked under the bed somehow. Jackson stayed completely nude as he followed her out of the bedroom, and his hair was rumpled in the most adorable way, bringing a smile to her lips.
After a tender kiss goodbye in the front hall, she stepped into the late-night air, shivering when the cool breeze snaked its way beneath her hair. A moment later, she was on her way home, a rush of tranquility floating through her body and her heart feeling fuller and lighter than ever before.
15
Three weeks later
Mia pried her eyelids open as two male voices snapped her out of slumber with their very loud singing.
“What the…?” She sought out the alarm clock, registered that it was eight a.m. and grumbled in disbelief.
Unbelievable. This was the third time this week that Danny had woken up before her, thanks to Mr. Early-Bird Ramsey. Clearly she needed to revoke Jackson’s sleepover privileges, pronto. She didn’t care that the two guys were bonding. Didn’t care that her brother, as it turned out, was amazing at background vocals. Her mornings were sacred, and their noisy renditions of Jackson’s favorite oldies songs weren’t welcome in her holy ritual of sleeping in until the last possible second.
When it became evident that they weren’t about to shut up, Mia dragged herself out of bed and staggered to the bathroom, griping under her breath the entire time. Fifteen minutes later, she was showered, dressed and annoyingly alert.
The yummy aroma of bacon and eggs greeted her when she entered the kitchen. Danny stood by the stove, flipping the strips of bacon sizzling on the pan, while Jackson was at the fridge, his big body hunched over as he searched for something on the bottom shelf.
Mia cleared her throat, prompting both guys to glance over at her.
“Mornin’, sugar.” Jackson greeted her with a huge smile.
Argh. She wanted to stay mad at them, but the sight of the tall, bare-chested SEAL instantly distracted her. He was barefoot, and his jeans rode dangerously low on his hips. He was so damn gorgeous she had to blink a few times to make sure he wasn’t a mirage. Men this sexy didn’t exist, did they?
They do, and he’s one of them. Just shut up and enjoy it.
She took her brain’s advice and stood there admiring him for a moment. For some reason he hadn’t shaved or gotten a haircut these past few weeks, so his hair was scruffier than usual and his face sported a full dark beard that gave him a feral vibe.
“C’mere and gimme a kiss,” he urged when she hadn’t budged from the doorway.
“Gross,” Danny announced.
“Oh shut it,” she told her brother.
She crossed the small space so Jackson could brush his mouth over hers in a sweet kiss that made her heart skip a beat.
She ran her fingers over his beard growth, smiling up at him. “You keep looking more and more like a mountain man.”
Danny chimed in with his agreement. “Yeah, you totes do. Seriously, dude, what’s with the beard?”
Jackson’s expression became veiled. “Just prepping, is all.”
She narrowed her eyes. “Prepping for what?”
Shrugging, he headed to the refrigerator. The sculpted muscles in his back flexed as he reached for something on the top shelf. “There’ve been some rumors around the base.”
His tone was gruff and careless, causing Mia and her brother to exchange a wary look.
“What kind of rumors?” she demanded.
His hand emerged with a tub of margarine. He turned to face her, but his eyes still revealed nothing. “Just some murmurings that there might be somethin’ brewing in the desert.”
“The desert?” A spark of panic ignited her belly. “You mean, the Middle East?”
Another shrug.
“Oh,” Danny said slowly. “So you guys all grow beards before you ship out? What, so you can blend in?”
“Somethin’ like that,” Jackson said vaguely.
As if on cue, the cell phone on the counter rang. It was Jackson’s, and Mia’s worry doubled as she watched him check the display.
Something indefinable flickered in his eyes. “I’ve gotta take this,” he muttered. “I’ll be right back.”
“Is it the base?” she blurted out.
He shook his head. “Nah.”
She didn’t detect any dishonesty, but her uneasiness refused to dissipate. She knew that as a SEAL, Jackson was forever on standby. Even when he wasn’t deployed, he could still get called to action at any time. The thought of him being sent on some dangerous mission in the “desert” scared the living crap out of her.
She’d actually spoken about this very topic with Jen last week, when Jen and Cash accompanied her and Jackson to another one of Danny’s games. Jen confessed that being in a relationship with a SEAL wasn’t all sunshine and rainbows—the woman worried like crazy whenever Cash was gone, and she admitted that she’d initially resisted dating Cash for that reason. Jen hadn’t wanted to deal with the long absences, the constant worry, the frustration that came with never knowing whether her man was safe.
The candid conversation had triggered in Mia the realization that soldiers weren’t the only ones who needed to be strong. The women who loved them had to possess that same strength in order to make a relationship between them work.
Sadly, her talk with Jen also served as a reminder that anything long-term wasn’t in the cards for her and Jackson. Before, the only terrifying outcome she’d foreseen was a relationship that ended in her broken heart. But a relationship with a soldier could have an even deadlier end—Jackson could actually die. The grim reality hadn’t sunk in until now, and yet, even knowing that she could lose Jackson in more than just the figurative sense, she couldn’t bring herself to break it off with him.
“I’m sorry, I really am. I know how much you were looking forward to it…”
Jackson’s low voice wafted into the kitchen from the hall, and the chord of sadness and remorse in his tone made her uneasy all over again.
She glanced at Danny, whose dark head was bent in concentration as he checked on the omelet he was preparing. Satisfied that her brother was otherwise occupied, she crept toward the doorway. She knew eavesdropping was beyond rude, but Jackson had sounded so upset she couldn’t help but listen in.
“I’ll see what I can do, Mom, but there’s no guarantee I’ll be able to get leave.” A pause. “I know it’s Thanksgiving, but I have orders.” Another pause. “I’ll try to get leave, Mom. I’ll call you next week to let you know for sure, okay? Yeah…’kay…I love you too.”
Mia ducked away from the doorframe as Jackson’s call wrapped up. She furrowed her brow, trying to make sense of what she’d heard. Why was Jackson telling his mother that he couldn’t come home? Mia knew for a fact that he was getting three days of leave for the Thanksgiving holiday—he’d told her so himself.
So why was he lying to his mother about it?
She bit her tongue when he returned to the kitchen. She didn’t want to confront him in front of Danny, who’d plopped down on the stool by the eat-in counter and was happily munching on his omelet.
“Man, it’s nice eating something other than cereal for breakfast.” Danny swallowed, then shot Mia a pointed stare. “See how nice it is to wake up earlier and have a balanced meal before school?”
“Uh-huh, go ahead and blame me. But we both know you enjoy sleeping in as much as I do.” She glanced at Jackson. “He’s conning you. Pretending he’s an early riser in order to impress you.”
Jackson chuckled and drifted over to the stove. “How many pieces of bacon do you want, darlin’? Six or seven?”
She gaped at him. “Six or seven? I was going to ask for two. Who eats seven pieces of bacon?”
“I do.” His expression turned smug. “I’m a growing boy, Mia. Jeez.”
Danny’s laughter filled the kitchen, and as Jackson prepared two plates for him and Mia, she watched the scene in front of her and a twinge of yearning tugged on her heart. She could get used to this. Jackson in her kitchen, the easy banter, the happy expression on her little brother’s face.
She and Danny hadn’t been lucky enough to grow up in a Norman Rockwell household. They’d been carted around from city to city, barely unpacking their belongings before their mother dragged them to a new place. They hadn’t had one father—they’d had nine. And instead of a mom who loved them unconditionally and put them first, they’d gotten one who cared only about her own insecurities and dived into one marriage after the other in order to feel fulfilled.
Out of Uniform Box Set: Books 4-6 plus 2 Bonus Novellas Page 76
